The will of John Stonehewer the Elder of Sutton, Staffordshire

Dated 13 August 1737, Probate granted 15 October 1737

Transcript

In the Name of God Amen I John Stonehewer the Elder of Sutton in the County of Chester
Gentleman being indisposed as to my bodily health but of sound mind memory and understanding
(praised be God for the same) Do make & ordain my last Will and Testament in manor following
(That is to say) first & principally I recommend(?) my soul unto Almighty God that Gave it
hoping thro' his infinite Mercy & Goodness & the Meritts (sic) of my ? Lord & Saviour
Jesus Christ to be an inhabitor(?) of the Kingdom of Heaven. And my body I ? to the earth to be
devoutly interred at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named. And as to such worldly estate
wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I Dispose thereof in manor following (towitt)
first I do will and direct that all my just Debts Funerall (sic) Expenses and the Probate of this
my will shall be paid with all convenient speed after my ? out of my Personall (sic) Estate by
my Executors hereafter named.
And whereas by the settlement made upon my marriage with my now wife power is reserved to ? to
charges(?) the moffuages(?) & lands therein(?) maintained(?) with the payment of the money
thereinmaintained(?) for the portion of such younger children as I should have by my said wife
Now in pursuance & extension of the said power and of all other powers and authorities whatsoever
to me belonging or in anywise enabling me hereunto I do by this my last will & testament charge
the ? lands and hereditments in the said settlement mentioned and also all other my ? lands ? &
hereditments whatsoever or wheresoever situate & being whereof I shall ? seized possessed or
anywise entitled unto with the payment of the sum of nine hundred and forty pounds (being the like
sum of money as I was charged with the payment of to my younger brothers & sisters) To be raised
by the ways & means in the said settlement mentioned & directed and to be paid at the
respective times in the proportion herein after mentioned (that is to say forty pounds part
thereof unto my second son Joseph Stonehewer and nine hundred pounds ? thereofunto and amongst
all my four younger children Mary Stonehewer aforesaid(?) Joseph StonehewerGeorge Stonehewer & William Stonehewer equally share and share alike as
& when they shall severally & respectively attain their respective ages of twenty one years but not sooner.
And my ? and ? that if any of my said younger children shall happen to dye (sic) before such his or
her part or share shall become payable that then this part or share of his or her so dying (sic)
shall not sink for the profit of my eldest son John Stonehewer or his estate but shall go to &
be payable equally unto ? amongst the survivors or survivor of my said younger children at the same
time with their his or her originall (sic) share of the said money.
Item I give and bequest unto my said eldest son John Stonehewer all my Board and Broken timber &
woods and also all such my other timber & woods as or are now fallen ruff (sic) sawn or severed
from the freeholds and also all my ? ? and ? whatsoever & wheresoever lying & ? And also all my
Plate & Books whatsoever.
And ? concerning all the rest ? and ? of my Goods Chattells ready money Debts to me owing Cattle and all
other my Personall Estate of what nature or kind soever as I shall & so possessed of or anywise
entitled to I give & bequeath the same unto my said four younger children Josephe Mary George &
William to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike.
And I do hereby nominate Constitute & appoint my Brother in Law Robert Clowds of ? in Sutton
aforesaid Esq & James Higginbotham of Sutton aforesaid Gentleman ? of this my last Will and
Testament to whom I have the Guardianship ? & Management of such of my younger children as are
now under the age of twenty one & of their respective estates & ? until such time as they
severally & respectively attained their respective ages of twenty one years.
And I do also nominate & appoint my said son Joseph Stonehewer to be Joint Executor with te
said Robert Clowds & James Higginbotham.
And lastly I ? ? ? all former wills testaments & bequests by ? time heretofore made & ?
and ? ? this to be my last will & testomany only.
In Witness whereof I have hereunder set my hand and seal & published ? this to be my last will
& testament the Thirteenth day of August in the eleventh year of the reign of our Sovereign
Lord George the Second & in the year of our Lord 1737.

Signed sealed & published and ?

J Stonehewer (+ seal)

By the said Testator ? for his last Will

& Testament in the presence of us who

Subscribed our names in his sight & presence

Cath Cloney

John Robinson

Jo Stafford

Septr 30 1737 The withinnamed Esq Rob Clowdes James Higginbotham &
Joseph Stonehewer took the oaths of any executors each before me